The Alberta government has introduced a bill to add proposed amendments to the Alberta Bill of Rights to what it says will modernize and strengthen human rights protections. Since Alberta is a free, democratic society, the government said protection of fundamental rights is necessary and valued by Albertans. The Alberta Bill of Rights was created to enshrine principles such as freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and the right to equality before the law among others into law. “Our province was built on the principles of individual freedom and responsibility,” said Alberta Premier Danielle Smith in a Monday press release. “By making important changes to the Alberta Bill of Rights, we’re ensuring we continue building on that foundation so Albertans for generations to come can rest assured their rights and freedoms are respected.”Since the Alberta Bill of Rights was introduced in 1972, the Alberta government said significant updates have not been made, but society has evolved since then. It said proposed amendments will help ensure Albertans can rely on the protection of rights and freedoms in a modern world. The Alberta government said the Alberta Bill of Rights Amendment Act (ABORAA) creates amendments to add new rights for Albertans. These rights are protections for personal autonomy, including the right not to be given medical care, treatment, or a vaccine without consent; the right to acquire, keep and use firearms in accordance with the law; and strengthened property rights.To reinforce Albertans’ shared values, it said amendments to the preamble would confirm fundamental freedoms are always important, including during emergencies, and affirm the importance of family and the rule of law. “The proposed amendments to the Alberta Bill of Rights address issues important to Albertans and reinforce that Alberta’s government is committed to protecting their rights,” said Alberta Justice Minister Mickey Amery.“I am proud to see this bill introduced.”It pointed out additional amendments would make the Alberta Bill of Rights a more robust civil rights document with more effective tools for ensuring Albertans’ rights are protected. This would include expanding it to apply to all government action, such as policies that are not formalized in a law or regulation, and giving the courts more enforcement options when rights under it have been violated. Several amendments relate to recommendations made by the Public Health Emergencies Governance Review Panel in its final report that dealt with strengthening protections for Albertans’ rights and freedoms. If passed, the Alberta government said the updates would protect and reinforce Albertans’ rights, freedoms, and ways of life.Smith followed up by saying governments “are supposed to be responsive to what they see out there in the real world.” “And I think that we saw an area, particularly through the pandemic, that there was a missing piece,” she said. “That was why Preston Manning recommended that we shore up medical freedom, medical choice, in the Bill of Rights.” For decades, she said she has known the requirement for just compensation has been missing from it. She added firearms have come under significant attack over the years. Alberta NDP leader Naheed Nenshi responded by saying who asked for the ABORAA. “No Albertan has a priority saying we want the right to bear arms subject to federal laws or we want the right to keep our property just as we do today,” said Nenshi. “But, if they want to put a Bill of Rights forward, let’s clarify what they want to put forward.” If the Alberta government wants healthcare autonomy, he said it should ensure women’s reproductive rights and the right for children and youth to access the care they need, particularly gender transitions, in it. If it wants to ensure people have property rights, he called for it to allow them to do whatever they want with their property, including by putting renewable energy projects on it. Smith said on September 24 the Alberta government will be introducing legislation to amend and strengthen the Alberta Bill of Rights in a few weeks..WATCH: Smith confirms amended Alberta Bill of Rights to protect medical freedoms, gun and property rights .With the current Alberta Bill of Rights, Smith pointed out it serves like a constitutional document, ensuring all government laws and policies align with the listed rights and freedoms. “Now the Bill of Rights has served its purpose well over the years, but as our society evolves, so too must our laws to ensure our rights and freedoms remain properly protected in an everchanging world,” she said.
